


Tell Me Stories, Baby

by i_amthecosmos



Category: One Direction
Genre: Blowjobs, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Sex Talk, The X Factor Era, handjobs, kissing and sweet talk, past bullying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-05-16 15:24:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5830798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_amthecosmos/pseuds/i_amthecosmos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis has an annoying habit of talking about past sexcapades where Liam can hear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell Me Stories, Baby

**Author's Note:**

> This took a lot longer than it should have. Just an X Factor-era Lilo story. Thanks for reading.

Liam tried to like all his bandmates. It wasn’t all that hard-Zayn was fantastic, Harry was a bit quirky but friendly and charming, and Niall was easygoing and very friendly. The only problem was Louis. Or more specifically, Louis’s mouth. 

Every time he and Louis were in the same place, Louis would start up. Which he could block out, he figured, except that Lou’s favorite topic was sex. As long as there wasn’t a camera on him (and sometimes even if they were), he would start talking about blowjobs.

“So we were there, and I swear, soon as we were left alone she kissed me, and then went to her knees right in front of me.” Liam heard Niall laugh, and for once he wished he wouldn’t, he didn’t need to be encouraging this behavior. “Zipped me trousers down and went to work. And we were AT work, so she had to be quick. But it wasn’t quick enough, and the manager saw us.” 

“What happened then?” Harry said, and Liam refused to look at Louis. He knew that Louis was preening from the attention, while Liam had to hold on. Listening to that made him…agitated. 

“Well-“ and then Louis blessedly shut up as a producer came in the room. Finally, Liam was saved. 

…

But he would only be saved for the time being, because the next chance he got, Louis would start again. “So I went to this festival, right,” Louis said, and Liam looked over to see Niall and Harry hanging off his every word, and Zayn looking mildly interested. “And I met this bloke-“

“You do blokes too?” Niall said, sounding fascinated. 

“Yeah, sure, haven’t I told you before? Anyway, we wound up getting pissed up, jumping around to the groups-at this point I’m not even sure who was playing when we went back and found his tent. We kissed a long time before we 69’d. I slept in his tent that night, I wasn’t in any shape to find my own. It was really nice.”

“Sounds like it,” Harry said, his voice awed. “Did you ever try to see him again?” 

“No, he was all right but there was no need to. And he lived a bit too far away, he was out where our Liam lives, nearly.” Liam didn’t turn around, even as Louis said his name. Liam could feel the pain as he clenched he jaw, but he couldn’t help it. He just had to wait for Louis to stop. As it was, it was hard for him to get the mental image of Louis and another fit boy getting off together out of his head. 

“You know, one time I was with a guy and a girl at once-“

Liam counted to ten.

…

During one busy day, he actually got some time to himself, and he sighed in happiness. He figured he’d put on his headphones and nap for a bit. The other boys had gone their separate ways, so it was just him. 

“Leeyum!” 

Or maybe he wouldn’t. He didn’t even try not to look grumpy when Louis barged in. 

“I’m sorry Louis, but could you leave me alone a bit? I want to rest.” He tried to look innocent and tired, but Louis just gave him that predatory grin, and he knew all was lost.

“But I want to stay here with you, the other lads have run off, that’s no fun. I never get to spend time with my Liam.” Liam refused to comment on that point. He and Louis barely spoke. He wasn’t Louis’ any more than he was…well, anybody’s. 

“All right, fine. You can nap with me.” Louis grinned and got into the bunk with him, sliding behind him so he could snuggle up to Liam’s back. “Do you want an earbud?” He turned and Louis shook his head. “All right then.” Liam snuggled down to try to sleep.

Louis was actually quiet for a few minutes. Then Liam felt him stir, and he opened his eyes just as Louis popped an earbud out and said “Liam? You know, one time, when I was younger, I saw a man follow me around at a fair. I was about fifteen and on my bike, but I could see him watching me.”

“That’s frightening,” Liam said. “That actually sounds scary, I hope you got away and didn’t reward his creepy behavior. Please don’t let this story end in mutual blowjobs, because I don’t think that bloke deserved them.”

“You’re right, I got away. I wasn’t ready for something like that. But I liked being watched. That’s what I remember the most.” Louis was silent for a minute, his hand rubbing over Liam’s stomach as they laid there. “But you know, would you like it if I told it that way?” 

“No, not at all. The guy was a creep and-wait.” Liam turned to glare at Louis. “Are you saying that you tell these stories so you can see my reactions?” Louis looked at him and shrugged, trying to look nonchalant, but there was something under it. “Why, do you just like teasing the virgins?”

Louis’ hand moved lower, until it was brushing under his belly button. “Not teasing, exactly. But I wanted to see if it made you excited. You never seemed to like it much when I started, but you’d get turned on all the same. I could see it.” Louis moved his hand a bit lower, and cupped Liam’s crotch. “Are you now?” He whispered into Liam’s ear.

“Little-little bit,” Liam answered, gritting his teeth. Liam had his hand over his cock, which was getting harder by the minute. Louis started stroking him over his pants, and Liam bit his lip to keep the noises in. Louis kissed his neck, and then he whimpered. “I can’t,” Liam finally said, and Louis’ hand stilled.

“You don’t want me to? Okay, I’ll stop,” Louis said, and his hand started to loosen its grip. Liam shook his head and Louis stilled again. “Liam, you have to tell me what you want, I’m not sure love.” 

“I’m not sure either,” Liam said. “You’ve always been getting on my nerves, and now you have me alone and a hand on my dick and God. I don’t dislike it. But I don’t think I’m ready for this.” He said that with some regret, which grew when Louis let go of him. 

“Okay,” Louis said. “I won’t make you Liam, you have to know that, right? I was just trying to find a way to get your attention. Probably not the best way.” Louis moved around and Liam hoped he wouldn’t just leave entirely. “Do you want me here?”

“Yeah, you can stay,” Liam said, relieved. “I had no idea, by the way. I thought you couldn’t stand me.” Liam felt Louis drop a little kiss on the back of his head and he smiled. 

“I’m sorry. I’m not always good at getting people to like me. We can nap now and then try again later, okay?” Liam muttered an agreement, and then they dropped off asleep. Niall found them later, and to Liam’s relief, said nothing about them being in the same bed, at least not then. The rest of the day was what passed as normal for them on the show. 

It was days before he was alone with Louis again.

When it finally happened, Louis came in on him as Liam paced around a room, almost in tears. They had taken a break from rehearsal, and Liam couldn’t stand how they sounded. It just wasn’t coming together, and he wanted to be alone. 

“Hey,” Louis said, at about half his normal volume. “You okay Leemo?” Liam shook his head, and felt a tear drop down his face. “Hey, it’s all right. Don’t be upset, we’re so much better than we were two weeks ago.”

“It’s not enough,” Liam said, and he sat down on the floor, pulling his legs in and wrapping his arms around them. “I don’t want to go home. I really like performing with you lot, and the audience. I like all of it, but sometimes I hate the way we sound.”

“We’re doing the best we can,” Louis said. Liam felt Louis’s fingers stroking his neck. “And our best keeps getting better. And we have an army of teenage girls on our side.” Liam nodded, since that was all true. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“I don’t really know,” Liam said. “I like that, you touching me. It’s gentle-like. It’s not what I would expect from you.” 

“Well, you’re not Harry,” Louis said, and Liam heard the warmth in his voice. “I can jump on Harry and make him give me piggyback rides, and he goes with it. If I did that to you you’d thrash me.” 

“Maybe no,” Liam said, laughing a bit. “Thanks. You made me laugh.” Louis came closer, and loosely wrapped his arms around Liam. Liam put his face in Louis’s neck. “Thank you,” he said. 

“Shhh, just relax Liam. We have to go back in a few minutes, and I don’t want you upset. Just remember, we’re all doing our best. We’re not trying to get in the way of your plans for world domination, we want to share them. Okay?”

“I don’t want world-ow,” Liam cut off the sentence when Louis pinched him. “Okay.” 

“All right then,” Louis said. He pulled back then and looked at Liam, his eyes searching over Liam’s face. Liam felt warm and tried to look away but Louis said “No, let me look at you. You’re so nice to look at. We never did talk about…what we talked about last time, did we?”

“No,” Liam said, on edge again. “And I don’t think now is a good time either. I don’t want to go back to rehearsal with a semi, please.” That made Louis laugh, and then Liam had Louis’s arms around him again. It was a brief hug, and then he let go. 

“That’s a very good point. Maybe I’ll steal you away tonight. But for now, let’s go back.” Louis jumped up and opened the door, jogging back to the rehearsal room. Liam stayed back for a few minutes, getting himself together, then walked back.

…

He didn’t think too much about what Louis said about stealing him away that night. Instead he went straight to sleep. It seemed like he was only asleep for a few minutes before he was awakened. He blinked, thinking it was time to get up. “Yeah?”

“Shhh,” was the answer he got, and then he thought: Oh. Louis. “Don’t wake anyone,” Louis said, and Liam could feel Louis get into bed behind him, and wrap his arms around. “We still need to talk.”

“Not really the best place for it Lou,” he said, brain still fuzzy. “I’m starting to think you didn’t come here to talk.” 

Louis’s arms tightened around him, and Louis put his mouth right up to Liam’s ear. “Maybe I didn’t.” 

“Oh God,” Liam said, and then Louis moved so he could kiss Liam on the mouth. Liam didn’t fight or push him off, instead he kissed back, hoping he was doing it right. It was wet and warm and a little bewildering, but Liam didn’t want it to stop. 

After a minute Louis pulled back. Liam could see him in the dim light, staring over at him. Liam finally nodded, which seemed to be what Louis was waiting for. Louis kissed him again, and this one seemed hungrier. Then he touched Liam’s nipples, but he didn’t twist them hard this time, he just touched them softly, until they hardened under his fingertips. 

“So pretty,” Louis said in his ear, and then he cupped Liam’s cock. “You’re just amazing to look at, and to feel. You feel so good in my hand.” Louis slipped his hand under Liam’s pajamas and stroked him, kissing him while he did it. Liam whimpered into his mouth, as Louis stroked him with a sure hand. He came too soon, he thought, but Louis didn’t complain. He just licked his hand clean while looking Liam in the eye. 

“Fuck,” he said, softly, and Louis giggled. He didn’t swear a lot, so he supposed Louis thought it was funny. “What-what can I do for you?” 

“I can do it,” Louis said, and then he flipped Liam on his side. Liam heard Louis get his trackies down, and then moved up close to Liam so his cock was up against Liam’s bare ass. Louis was close everywhere, it seemed, an arm around Liam’s waist, Louis’s head buried in his neck. Louis humped against Liam until Liam felt something warm and wet dripping down his lower back, and he closed his eyes. He didn’t know what to do next. 

“I have to leave,” Louis whispered, and he kissed him again. “They can’t catch me here in the morning. Night Liam.” And then he was gone. Liam wanted to be upset about him leaving, but he was suddenly exhausted after coming, and he just fell asleep again.

The next morning, he thought it might have been a very vivid dream, but in the shower he found himself cleaning Lou’s come off his ass and back, and then he had to take some deep breaths. Why was Louis doing this? He didn’t even seem to like him all that much. 

The next day didn’t give him many answers. Louis stayed glued to Harry, the way he always did, and Liam didn’t know where he stood, if Louis liked him or if he owed Louis anything. It was terribly confusing, and it must have been noticeable, because Zayn came over to ask him what was wrong. So he told him.

Zayn’s brow furrowed. “He did? I agree that’s weird, I don’t know what I’d do if a girl did that and then left. Has he told you anything? Do you need me to kick his ass?”

“No. He keeps saying we need to talk, but he never does it.” Liam looked down. “I don’t know what he wants. And…I don’t think so?”

“Your ass, we know that,” Liam glared as Zayn cracked himself up. “Look, I don’t have a lot of experience with this. You might just have to talk to him rather than wait for him to do it. He puts hard stuff off sometimes, we’ve all seen him in rehearsal.” 

“Yeah. I just don’t know how. I’m in over my head.” Zayn patted his knee, and Liam slumped over so Zayn could snuggle him a bit. He was really glad to have Zayn as a friend. “Do you think maybe he likes me? Or is this just a big game?”

“He might like you Liam, I don’t see how anyone couldn’t.” And that would have been comforting, but plenty of people had managed not to like Liam in his life, so he didn’t know if this was any different. Zayn petted his hair, and he just closed his eyes. He’d think about it later.

…

It was a couple of days before Louis got Liam alone again. 

Liam was drinking some tea and trying to sort out the mess in his head when Louis came in. At first Louis didn’t say anything, just fixed himself a cup and then sat down next to him. They drank their tea in silence until Louis said “Zayn came to talk to me, you know. He said I was messing with your head and I needed to stop before he beat me up.”

“He didn’t,” Liam said, horrified. “I’m sorry. I didn’t tell him to do that.” 

“I know you didn’t, you’re a sweet lad like that. But it was jarring. I thought you knew what I was doing.” Louis looked over and Liam shook his head. “You don’t?”

“No, no idea,” Liam said. “I don’t know if you like me at all, because I didn’t think you did at first. Or if…what if I’m just another story for you? That months or years from now you’re telling to get the next boy or girl all bothered? I don’t know, you keep saying we’ll talk, but then we don’t.” 

“I meant it, we’re talking, we’re talking now.” Louis gripped Liam’s hand. “I’m sorry I wasn’t clear. I wouldn’t do that to you Liam, you’re not a story, I promise.” Liam felt marginally better but there was still a lot left that wasn’t clear. 

“Louis, I have to ask. Are you with Harry? You two are together all the time, you seem really close…” But Louis was already shaking his head. “You’re not?” 

“No. I know what it looks like, but it’s just…have you ever had a friend that you just connected with and it was just…you couldn’t believe it? They just got you so completely and you wanted to be around them all the time?”

“No,” Liam said, and Louis looked shocked. “I never had a friend like that, I never had any friends, I never had a girlfriend, or a boyfriend, I don’t have any experience with this!” Liam put his teacup down and put his head in his hands. “I don’t know what I’m doing, I don’t know if it’s right.” 

“Liam.” Liam felt Louis’s arms around him, holding him close. “You don’t have to worry, you aren’t doing anything wrong, God, you’re perfect. Please don’t think you’re doing something wrong because this is all new to you. I’m sorry. I didn’t know this was so stressful for you. I’ll try to tell you more. I just never seem to have any time.” 

“Thanks.” Liam sat up, letting his hands fall, and put his head on Louis’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just don’t know. All my life it seemed like everything I did was wrong. I don’t know how to take good things sometimes.” 

“I didn’t know how bad it was,” Louis said. “I know you and Zayn talk about being bullied, but I had no idea it ran that deep. Maybe we should slow down. At least a bit.” 

“I like it, though,” Liam said quietly. “I like it when you touch me. I just don’t know how to do it back.” 

“It’s not hard to learn,” Louis said, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “But you don’t have to worry about it. We can do that in time. And anyway, I know how quickly you pick up new things Liam. I’m sure you won’t do anything to make me kick you out of bed.” That made Liam giggle, and Louis squeezed him tighter. “That’s it, good to hear you laugh.”

“Yeah. Thanks for talking to me finally. I didn’t know where I stood.” Louis squeezed him again, and they sat quietly for a bit. After a few minutes, Louis loosened his grip on Liam so he could get his teacup, and Liam did the same. They sat quietly and finished their tea until it was time for rehearsal. 

…

“Did he talk to you?” Zayn was standing in front of Liam, with a gleam in his eyes that Liam had not seen before. “Because I can get my friend Danny to come here and beat him up if I need to.” 

“We talked, it’s okay,” Liam said, and Zayn looked slightly disappointed. “No need to beat anyone up. I’m still a little confused though. Not as much as I was.” 

“Okay good,” Zayn said, sounding sincere, and Liam was glad Zayn wasn’t going to risk his spot fighting for Liam’s honor. “Maybe the rest of the confusion will sort itself out. I think he really likes you Liam, so don’t worry.”

“What makes you say that?” All Liam saw was Louis hanging all over Harry, even though he knew now that it wasn’t physical between them.

“You don’t see it, do you? How he looks at you?” Liam shook his head. “Well, he mostly does it when you’re not looking. But he looks at you like you made the sun.” 

“That can’t be true,” Liam started, but Zayn shook his head. 

“Accept it mate, he likes you. Don’t worry. Hey, they have some doughnuts over at the catering table. Let’s go.” Zayn took off at a job in the direction of craft services, and Liam followed him. Doughnuts were a good reason to not talk about it anymore.

…

The next time Louis climbed into Liam’s bed at night, he was more or less expecting it. Louis curled in around him, and kissed Liam’s neck as he held him from behind. “My sweet Liam,” Louis said, and Liam closed his eyes. It sounded so lovely, even if he wasn’t sure how much he believed it yet. 

They kissed a long time that night, Liam turning around to face Louis, Louis touching his collarbone and shoulders, then moved down to his chest. It was slower, which Liam was glad for. When Louis finally wrapped his hand around Liam’s cock, Liam sighed with relief. 

“Shhh, love. I have you.” Louis wanked him off, sure in his movements, and after Liam came and was limp in Louis’s arms, he guided one hand to his own cock. “It’s easy. Just do what you’d do to yourself.” 

“Okay,” Liam said, and he stroked over Louis’s cock, going slow, trying to build up. But Louis thrust his hips in what seemed to be impatience, so Liam sped it up. He thought that he liked it when Louis kissed him during it, so he decided to try that. Louis kissed back eagerly, so that must have been right. It seemed like forever, but eventually Louis was sucking his tongue as he came over Liam’s hand. 

“Don’t you have to go now?” Louis was kissing Liam, and it felt like he was in heaven. But he knew he had to ask, because they could both get in trouble if they were found out. Louis shook his head, and Liam frowned. “Why not?” 

“I don’t care if they find me,” Louis said, and kissed him again.

…

They did get found out, but the handler who was in charge of their sleeping arrangements basically didn’t give a fuck, and told them not to do it again, that it could potentially bother the other people in the room. Louis nodded and did his damndest to look angelic, Liam actually felt a bit guilty. Afterward, Louis whispered “Okay, so no more sleeping over. Or maybe I can just drag you into a closet every now and then.” 

“Oh God,” Liam said, and he looked over at Louis, who promptly cracked up. “Bastard.” 

“No, not really,” Louis said, trying to get his breath. “But your face was too funny.” 

“Okay fine. But let’s go to breakfast. I need a cuppa, and I think you do too.” Louis grinned and sprinted towards the kitchen. Liam laughed, and chased after him. 

…

“You seem a lot happier.” 

That was Harry, who was stuffing his face with a bagel while he said it. Liam was surprised that he had noticed-Harry always seemed to live in clouds, to Liam. Liam decided to nod, because it was true enough. “Yeah,” he said. “Thanks.” 

“Louis told me some of what was going on, not all.” Harry said then, and Liam looked around to see if anyone was listening. Harry had the loudest whisper he’d ever heard, he was just rubbish at hiding anything.”I asked him some stuff, and he said that it was none of my business. Funny, since he tells everything.”

“Yeah,” Liam said, mentally sighing in relief. “That’s good to know.” 

“Yeah,” Harry said, grinning around his food. “He must like you then, huh?” 

“I…” Liam wasn’t sure how to answer. “I think so. It seems like it.” Now Liam was nervous again. What if Louis was just stringing him along?

Harry must have noticed, because his expression changed into one Liam couldn’t quite pin down. “You idiot,” he said, and Liam felt himself stiffen up, getting ready to retaliate, even if only verbally. “You need to talk to Louis,” is all Harry said next though, so Liam just finished his breakfast and walked away. 

“Hey,” He said to Louis the next time he saw him. Louis grinned, full-on, when he saw Liam coming, which was...strange. “Harry says I’m daft and need to talk to you.” 

“Well that’s not new,” Louis said, and Liam glared at him again. “Please don’t look at me like that Li, it was just a joke. So what’s the problem?” Louis sat on the couch, and Liam sat next to him. “Are you okay?” Louis said suddenly. “This isn’t you worrying your way out of something that you like, is it?” 

“It might be?” Liam looked at him. “It’s just. Do you like me? Are we dating? I don’t even know.” Liam felt horribly stupid and naïve that he was even asking. “I like what we do. But I want to know, because I’m not at all sure.”

Louis was quiet for a minute, and Liam felt like he wanted to run from the room. Then he felt Louis’s hand on his knee, and he closed his eyes. “It’s okay Liam,” Louis said. “I like you a lot. I wanted you to like me, and for a long time you didn’t. I’m glad things are better now. Technically, we’re not dating because we’re not allowed to go anywhere. But I like you, yes.” 

“Oh. Good.” Liam turned at looked at Louis. “I like you. I just feel like I’m terrible at it.” Louis shook his head, and then surged forward to kiss him, It was a hard kiss, their teeth knocking together, and it struck Liam as possessive, and really hot. He was about half hard when they pulled apart. 

“Not terrible at it. You’re learning, and you’re scared because of what those bastards did to you back at home. But you’re not terrible, not at all. Trust me, I know terrible. I’ve had some head that made me think they were trying to strip me skin off.” 

“We haven’t done that yet, I might disappoint you,” Liam said, feeling himself flush at the image. He also felt a flash of jealousy, which was new. “Just, when we get there, let me know what to do.” 

Louis kissed him again, gentler this time. “I will. But it’s not that difficult really. Just cover your teeth and spend most of your time on the head, that’s most of it.” 

“I don’t have to deep throat?” Liam was almost disappointed, and he must have looked it because Louis started laughing, giggling into his neck. “Oh stop.” 

“I’m sorry, you just look like someone shot your puppy, and it was hilarious. You love to learn to do hard things, don’t you?” Liam tried to shake his head, but there was a smile tugging at his mouth. “Oh good, I actually made you smile. You hate my jokes, usually.” 

“Only some of them,” Liam said, and he felt almost giddy. It made him bolder, and he pulled Louis in for a hug, kissing his cheek when he did it. “Maybe I’ll be climbing in your bed next time. I’m just afraid I’ll pick the wrong one when I’m trying to find you in the dark.”

“Yeah, don’t do that,” Louis said, and they giggled for a while, holding each other closely. Then they heard a yell from a voice coach, and they had to come back to the room the others were in. Louis squeezed Liam’s hand as they went back. 

…

Louis kept his word and didn’t visit Liam’s room in the middle of the night again. But one time when most everyone was out, he did pull Liam into an empty room and went to his knees in front of him. Liam had to lock his knees so he wouldn’t fall on the floor with him out of shock. “Lou?” he said, but Louis just looked up at him, chewing his lip. “Okay,” he said, and Louis unzipped his jeans and pulled everything down. 

Liam thunked his head against the wall when Louis took him in his mouth. It was hot, wet and oh god, the suction. Liam didn’t think he could hold on. “Slow,” he said, somehow getting the word out. “Go slower.” 

Louis hummed against his cock, which didn’t help matters much, but he did go slower. Liam stayed braced against the wall, eyes closed, until he felt it hit. He groaned, trying to keep it down, as he came in Louis’s mouth. “Sorry,” he whispered. He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to do that. 

“What for?” Louis said, wiping his mouth. “You were lovely Liam. Now, do you want to do it back?” Liam looked at the closed door, nervous, and Louis stood up. “Want to go somewhere else? I don’t think that door locks.” 

“Yes, please,” Liam said, and Louis shoved up Liam’s pants and jeans and dragged Liam out the door, Liam buttoning back up as Louis steered them into another room. Louis locked the door and Liam dropped to his knees, hoping he was going to be good. Louis deserved that. 

“Now, remember what I told you,” Louis said as he pulled his cock out. “No teeth, pay attention to the head the most. Got it?” 

“No teeth,” Liam promised, and he took a deep breath, and the flicked at the head of Louis’s cock with his tongue. Louis grunted, and Liam did it again. Then he grasped Louis’s dick with one hand, and sucked the head in. 

“That’s lovely Liam, keep going,” Louis said and Liam tried to match the movement of his mouth and hand. He wanted to take more, like in the porn he’d seen, but when he went too far past the head he choked. 

“Shhh, it’s okay, you don’t have to do that,” Louis said, as Liam sputtered. Louis petted his hair. “Take it easy, what you were doing was enough, I promise. Do you want to stop?”

“I don’t know, yeah, maybe.” Liam coughed again, and Louis moved so he was on the floor with him. Liam took his cock in hand again and finished him that way. “Sorry I didn’t do more,” he said after, when they were kissing. 

“Nonsense, you did wonderfully,” Louis said. “Was it too much for you? I know you get nervous sometimes. You don’t regret it?” 

Liam thought about the question for a minute. “Only choking. Everything else was great. This is still weird though, we can get caught by so many different people, and all of them would be bad.” 

“That is true, but honestly I like the excitement.” Liam glared at him, and Louis petted his hair. “Settle down, I’ll be more careful, I promise. And you know, you can do some things back sometimes.” 

“Okay,” Liam said. “I just didn’t know I was, um, queer, until we started this. Is that okay, that word?” Liam felt like ‘gay’ didn’t quite fit him, but he didn’t want to be insulting.

“Queer? Yes, it’s fine. It’s a bold choice, but for most not-straight people it’s just fine. Straight people might not understand it as well, just a warning. You’re okay though? Not freaking out about it?” Louis petted his hair more, and Liam sighed. 

“Just what I’m going to tell my family. I was always interested in girls at home. I’m still sort of attracted to girls, but I’m happy with what we do. I wouldn’t want to stop.” Louis leaned in and kissed him gently. 

“That’s okay, my Liam,” he said sweetly. “I like girls too, but I turned one down the other day. I’m too busy with you, I wasn’t even interested.” Louis kissed him again, Liam frowning into it. 

“A girl here? Who?” But then they both heard the sounds of people coming through the doors, a lot of people, and Louis got up and bounded out the door, Liam following him at a slower pace, frowning.

What girl?

…

Liam let that question eat at him for a couple of days. Even when Louis was around, he felt distracted by it. He didn’t set out to avoid Louis, but his huffy demeanor seemed to put him off, and Liam spent a lot of his down time alone. 

He didn’t even know why it was bothering him. He believed that Louis wasn’t interested, but he was annoyed that someone else found him attractive. And in fact, they were on telly and a lot of people were finding Louis attractive, and he didn’t like it one bit. 

Liam was sitting alone, watching telly, when there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” he said, and chewed on his thumbnail. The door opened and Louis came in. Instead of immediately talking to him or asking a bunch of questions, he just sat next to Liam. After a minute, he took Liam’s hand in his and held it. 

“Something’s been bothering you,” Louis said, and Liam nodded. “What did I do? I’m sorry.” Liam shrugged and Louis squeezed Liam’s hand. “You have to tell me, I don’t know what it is, promise.”

“You were telling me about a girl, here, who fancied you,” Liam said. “Who-who is it? Is she pretty?” Liam figured she must be, all the girls there with them were beautiful.

“Oh, Liam…” Liam flinched when Louis pulled him in closer. “No, no. You were meant to take from that story that I said _no_ , my Liam. I’m not fooling around behind your back with some girl, I promise. Why would I? You’ve been nothing but lovely ever since this started.” Louis kept touching him gently until Liam was snuggled lax against him. “There you go.”

“I guess so. But I was still upset, just that someone found you attractive and wanted you. Don’t tell me who it is, I’ll be awful to her if I knew.” Louis shifted, and Liam met him halfway, kissing Louis gently. Louis stroked down his arm.

“Shhh, it was weeks ago, and she’s already gone. Nothing to worry about, my sweet pumpkin.” Louis kissed him again, and Liam stopped working backwards in his head, trying to figure out who it was that got kicked off recently. “It’s all right. Poor Liam, I didn’t know you’d take that so hard. I was trying to do the opposite.”

“It’s okay now,” Liam said. “I’m sorry. I missed you when I was pouting about this. I shouldn’t have made such a fuss.” 

“It’s alright Li, now we know what to look out for. I had no idea you could get so jealous. You’re so accepting of everything, I didn’t think to worry.” 

“I’m accepting? You always said I was an uptight stick when we would fight.” They hadn’t really fought in weeks now. Things had really gotten a lot better between them. Louis pressed a gentle kiss to Liam’s birthmark, and Liam moaned softly. 

“You are exacting, I’m not saying you’re not. But you accept Zayn and Niall and Harry just as they are. I was the only one you didn’t, but we’ve fixed that now. I adore you, silly boy. Don’t worry about me. If we get kicked off this week, it won’t matter. I’ll still be with you if that’s what you want.” 

“It’s not just because we’re on this show together then?” Liam looked into Louis’s face, watched as he shook his head. “Oh. Good. I didn’t think it was, at least not anymore, but…” Liam was silenced with another kiss, and when it ended, he snuggled close with Louis. 

“Have faith, sweet Liam. Have faith, I have it in you, I promise,” and Liam didn’t answer back, he just wondered how the same boy who had the deadliest nipple pinches could also be so sweet. But they had so little time together, he just sat there with Louis until the crowds and the cameras came back into their space, and Liam had to share Louis with the world once again.


End file.
